Syosset's Cameron Biegel boots Massapequa with game-winning FG

Syosset's Cameron Biegel (14) kicks the winning field goal as Massapequa's Phil Tesoriero (81) is late on the block attempt during a Nassau I football game at Massapequa High School on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. Photo Credit: Richard T. Slattery

Syosset's Cameron Biegel (14) kicks the winning field goal as Massapequa's Phil Tesoriero (81) is late on the block attempt during a Nassau I football game at Massapequa High School on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Credit: Richard T. Slattery)

Where there should have been nervousness, there was confidence. Massapequa even called a timeout, an attempt to ice Syosset kicker Cameron Biegel before he attempted the game-winning field goal with three seconds left.

But the only ice was in Biegel's veins.

"They just gave me more time to think about it," Biegel said, a hint of triumph in his voice. Normally, more time to think isn't...

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Where there should have been nervousness, there was confidence. Massapequa even called a timeout, an attempt to ice Syosset kicker Cameron Biegel before he attempted the game-winning field goal with three seconds left.

"They just gave me more time to think about it," Biegel said, a hint of triumph in his voice. Normally, more time to think isn't a good thing for a kicker. But Biegel already was envisioning the postgame celebration.

"I just had that in my head," he said.

Will Hogan caught the snap, found a clean spot on Massapequa's patchy grass field, placed it and then watched as Biegel's 24-yard field goal sailed through the uprights as time expired. For the first time in Syosset's 40-39 win over Massapequa in Nassau I, the Braves had the lead.

Syosset's Cameron Biegel (14) kicks the winning field goal as Massapequa's Phil Tesoriero (81) is late on the block attempt during a Nassau I football game at Massapequa High School on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. Photo Credit: Richard T. Slattery

Biegel, Syosset's backup quarterback, was named the team's kicker just three weeks ago. He's still listed only as "QB" on Syosset's roster.

"I played soccer as a kid," Biegel said, "so I always had it in my background."

Added coach Paul Rorke: "Did he tell that we tried out about 15 guys? We did. And we kind of coached him into it. Buddy of mine who is a soccer coach came in and spent about an hour with him and he was kicking 45-yard field goals into the wind that day and had never done it before."

After he was mobbed at midfield by his teammates, after the euphoria subsided, Biegel refused the "hero" label.

"Just a field goal," he said. "Nothing special.

"If Will Hogan doesn't lead the team down the field, if the blocking isn't perfect, if the snap isn't perfect, couldn't have happened."

Hogan completed 24 of 34 passes for 204 yards, including touchdown passes to Michael Elardo and Christian Skorka. For Massapequa (1-1), Brad Baldinger completed 13 of 16 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, and Chris Bacotti had four touchdowns.

With 7:15 left to play, Casey Kimmel kicked a 25-yard field goal to give Massapequa a 32-22 lead. But holding the Chiefs to just the three points was huge.

"Our coach said we needed a goal line stop," Elardo said, "and that's exactly what we did."

Less than a minute later, Syosset's Jonathan Lieberz got in open space for a 65-yard rushing touchdown, and Hogan hit Elardo for the two-point conversion to make it 32-30.

Massapequa answered 54 seconds later: Baldinger to Bacotti on a bubble screen that Bacotti took 63 yards for a touchdown to make it 39-30.